I know I'm a writer... But....

In my first posts, I talked about writing, something I love. I am a writer, but I'm also a cook. I love to cook and bake. When I'm not elbow deep in a novel, I'm elbow deep in the kitchen. This happens in spurts, kind of like my writing.

So today, Saturday, my grandparents came over for a big family dinner. This is a frequent, almost weekly thing. No big surprise. Last time we had the usual Italian dinner, but this time, we went all American. Burgers and hot dogs....but there was still that bowl of olives in the table....

Now, last time they came over, I made affogato. It's a shot of espresso or really strong coffee over a scoop of ice cream or gelato. My grandparents love this. I stick an Italian cookie in it and it's like the grown up float, with coffee instead of root beer.

But this time we were doing American. Hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob. So for dessert, I made my version of apple crisp. Some call it Apple Betty. I call it awesome :)

Whenever I bake with apples, I always use organic and combine a few different types. My go to, Fuji and Granny smith. I LOVE to bake with Fuji apples. They have the best flavor. But that's just my preference. I use the granny smith to add a little pucker and tartness.

The difference between my recipe and others is that it's gluten and cane/white sugar free. I sweeten with agave.

So I started off with a ton of apples. Really, I lost count at how many I peeled. Maybe....8 I think it was. (I'm the kind of person that eyeballs it and uses my hands to measure.)

So I chopped them up, and added a handful of gold raisins, regular raisins, and dried cranberries.

I added cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Again, this is me, putting it in the palm of my hand and seeing how it feels. I'd guess it was somewhere around a tablespoon of those combined. Then I added a few tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and around half a cup of agave syrup. Now for the flour, I used Namaste gluten free flour blend. But you could use any gluten free flour blend. The only recommendation I have is that you use one without potato flour or starch in it. I think the potato over powers when you bake with it.

So I mix the apples and other ingredients together, then placed it in a casserole dish that I've greased so the apples don't stick. Then I top it with a crumble. Equal parts gluten free flour and gluten free rolled oats...I used about a cup of each. Then I added about a third of a cup of agave, the mixture of raisins and cranberries, and a couple tablespoons of melted butter. Mixed it all together, and spread it over the top of the apples.

I baked it at 375 degrees, until the apples were tender and the top was golden brown.

This was how I spent my Saturday afternoon :)

A day in the life of moi....is not usually this exciting

So I consider myself to be a quieter human. I like my routine. I don't stray from it too often, but when a wrench gets thrown in the works, I can roll along with whatever happens. But yesterday, it was one of those days I was tempted to walk outside, stand in the yard with my arms spread wide and ask, "Is that all you got?" Or maybe it would have been more of a, "I could really use a break right now...please!"

I had high hopes yesterday. I was up at 6:50. Ready to leave the house at 8. My cat Bailey was packed in her paw print carrier, ready to visit the vet she hates with a purple passion. Then, I was going to drop her home, snag my laptop, and find one of my favorite haunts to write at for the rest of the day.

If only.....

So at the vet, a routine visit, the doc says Bailey has a chipped tooth. She needs a root canal within six months, or she'll need to get it pulled. I'm like, how and when did you chip a tooth, and do I need to get you a mouth guard and crash helmet?

That will be eleven hundred for a trip to the pet dentist.

Sigh.

Okay, no more rough housing.

Then, on the way out, the vet asks if she's been micro chipped. I'm like, no, but I'd like her to be.

Cha-ching.

I swear, these people see me coming a mile away!

Then, we are finally in the car, headed home, after the longest trip to the vet in my life. I get the cat in the house, take her out of the carrier, and discover she has peed her pants.

Well, she doesn't have pants, but she, I guess, was so RELIEVED to be on the way home, she let it all flow. AND I MEAN ALL. I did not know so much pee could come out of such a tiny kitty!

So I'm in the bathroom, scrubbing her up with the baby shampoo, and it hits me.

New car.

My brand new Prius.

*Hauls ass outside*

Yes, it went through the canvas carrier, and soaked into the nice new cloth seat.

Cut to me wanting to beat my head on the hood of the car.

Think positive, I kept telling myself. You're car is not going to smell like cat piss. Why couldn't she have peed in the Jeep? If I had made the appointment a couple months ago, she would have peed in the car I didn't care about.

*Drives to Toyota dealer*

Sorry, can't help you. Maybe try an air freshener?

*Drives home dejectedly*

Google is my new best friend! Seriously. I Googled mobile detailing, and found Detail Daddy. The name kind if threw me. I was worried the guy would show up in a low riding cadi dressed like Mr. T and have a full set of gold teeth. But he was the only guy who could be at my house within an hour, and save my car.

He. Was. Awesome. He cleaned the seat, after soaking it with tons of cleaning stuff, then he sucked all the water out, and gave my car a clean bill of health.

Car and cat are back to normal.

Though once all the drama was over, I ended up on the couch next to Bailey staring blankly at my computer. She agreed that I could have the rest of the day off to chill.

I'll write tomorrow.

On Kindle June 20th 2012

The Council

Book 2

A Werewolf's Moon

I should feel scared, shaking from head to toe with a fear that rivaled any I’d ever felt before—but I wasn’t.

I should want to run, put miles between me and the werewolf who claimed I was now like him—but I couldn’t.

I could only lock my blurred gaze with his golden eyes and wait for the moon to rise, for the pain to end, and for my new life to begin.

Pepper Peterson has a problem. He's about six foot four. Surly. Swears like a sailor. His eyes glow in the dark, and he scares people just by breathing.

She tried to give him the slip, and tried to throw him off her trail, but he had a nose like no other, and he wasn't going to back off no matter what she did.

Lucky her, she's got a werewolf for a watchdog. And he's the meanest one in town.

Quinn has been trying to explain to Pepper he isn't an actual wolf. He doesn't have a tail, and he doesn't howl at the moon. But he does have a problem. Because of an accident beyond his control, Pepper wasn't going to be human for much longer.

The moon was going to rise. Pepper's human life would soon end. The question eating away at Quinn was… would she trust him enough to get her through it? And would he be strong enough to defend her until her transformation was complete?

He was about to find out, the hard way.

What is in a Name?

"Hi, my name is Gaylord. I'm seventeen. I enjoy skateboarding and fixing computers." He smiles. "Meet my friends, Lucifer and Bob. Wanna hang out with us?"

What's wrong with that first paragraph? Anything? What sixteen year old girl wouldn't swoon for a cute guy named Gaylord? He can fix her computer! Fly down the street on a piece of wood with four tiny wheels!

Three things are wrong with that first sentence. Well, three names. Who wants to read book about a guy named Gaylord, Lucifer, and Bob....

On second thought, it sounds like such a train wreck, it might work!

But seriously, names are very important. I can't stress how important the name of your character is! When you pick up a book it sets the tone for the whole story. If I were to have named Zack Warren something else...say Timmy, or Leon, it wouldn't have gone over so well.

The Unofficial Timmy Warren Fan Club, sounds more like something you'd attend at the fort built in Timmy's backyard.

So when we name our characters, we have to be aware of what the name means and the impact it has on the reader.

"Hi, I'm Jennipher."

Look, there is nothing wrong with spelling a name creatively. BUT, when it comes to writing, it can really throw the reader off. Certain spellings are so confusing and can be annoying. Readers have been known to put down the book or not even buy it.

But you want your character to stand out from the crowd. He or she is different, a rule breaker, a genius. You need the person who picks up your book to know the character is not just another Tom, Dick, or Harry.

Why not try naming them something classic and timeless? Like William or Charlotte. Or go with an unusual name like I did for Briar. Sounds different, but it's been around for a while. You can also look at the other books and see what the super popular names are. Make a list of those names. Use it for reference when you write. If the name is on the list, don't use it.

If you were to put William or Charlotte beside Diesel, Striker and Mandy, IMO, they are more intriguing. Why? Because everyone is so concerned with being different and standing out in the crowd, the quirky names are starting to become the norm.

So next time you see a book about a character named Benjamin or Andrew, give it a shot. He could be a total bad ass or a real prince charming. And don't forget you can give your character a nickname that really stands out, or shorten his long name. The possibilities are endless :)